When Amarachi arrived at her JAMB centre in April, she was full of hope. After many months of reading and preparing for the UTME, she believed it was finally her time to shine. However, as soon as she sat in front of the computer, the problem started. The system froze. The invigilator looked confused. Moreover, just like that, Amarachi’s dream was hanging in the balance.
Sadly, she was not alone.
Across the country, thousands of candidates experienced serious technical problems- computers crashing, examinations starting late, and some being cancelled entirely. It became so severe that even the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had to acknowledge that the 2025 UTME had numerous issues.
While some Nigerians praised him for owning up, others are asking bigger questions: If JAMB, with all its budget and experience, is still facing these kinds of problems, can we really trust it to organise future exams well? Furthermore, what does this say about our whole education system?
Experts in the education sector believe the problem is deeper than just computers not working. They say the entire JAMB process needs serious reform.
Dr Muyiwa Bamgbose of the Education Advancement Centre said one of the first steps is to make mock exams compulsory for all candidates. “This mock should not be optional. It must be made mandatory to help JAMB detect problems before the real exam and help students get used to using the computer,” he said.
Another school owner, Mrs. Dolapo Fatoki of Peaceville International Academy, said JAMB needs to take centre accreditation more seriously. “It is not enough to just approve a centre once and forget it. They must do surprise visits and check if the computers and staff are still up to standard,” she said.
She also questioned why JAMB still does exams only once a year. “Why are we acting like it is 1999? Abroad, exams like the SAT are done many times in a year. If JAMB can spread the exam across different dates, it will reduce pressure and allow more fairness,” she added.
Prof. Ben Emunemu, a university lecturer, stated that JAMB also needs to enhance its communication system. “People should be able to report problems quickly and get answers fast. The registration and exam platform should be robust enough to handle high traffic volumes. Moreover, they must be regularly maintaining their servers,” he said.
At the end of the day, these glitches have done more than just disturb students—they have exposed the cracks in our educational system.
It is no longer about passing exams; it is about whether the system is even working in the first place.
Until JAMB addresses these issues, students like Amarachi will continue to bear the consequences of a system that should be helping them succeed. It is high time JAMB stopped chasing profits and started focusing on doing the job right. After all, if the gatekeeper to higher education is confused, what hope do the students have?
Leave feedback about this